THE HON. D. BUDDO.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 574, 31 July 1909, Page 6

THE HON. D. BUDDO.

I REPLY TO FARMERS' UNION. I A DUNEDIN DEPUTATION. (By Telegraph—Press Aesooiation.l > * Duncdin, July 30 The Hon. D. Buddo, Acting-Minister for, Lands, in conversation with a reporter to-day, Irephcd to two matters which were before the Farmers' Conference. ' The first matter was embodied m tho resolution passed to this, effect: "That while theje is so much waste land in (both Crown and Nativo) awaiting settlement the conference : considers it inadvisable to continue borrowing money in foreign 'markets to provide for tho purchase of private estates,. while by tho-sale of Crown laLds sufficient .money can be -procured for the settlement of Crown and Native lands under 'the Lands for Settlement Act." The Minister said if the resolution meant: anything, at all it meant that tho balance of Crown and Native lands should Be nut up to auction 121 orders to road and bridge those verj lands. . He ventured to think it would: be very difficult to get other settlers in tho Dominion, who.were not present at that meet-

-. ' . .'■// / . '/ I . ,-- // . ing- to endorse such' a policy. Crown; and Native- lands could bo sold, but whether that, would be settlement as > Parliament ■ uiuler'.stood; it -'.was/ questionable, - as Parliament had always insisted; Upon' residence..;.with, settlement.'; Furthermore,', it ;-.was evident; that'. tostop borrowing to purchase 'lands ■ ment. would'be' quite out of ',keeping.'with ; .-the . Government policy- during the past nineteen' years'-': of -'purchasing .land ..that stood ( directly 'in the. vifay fof. closersettlement,'. Parliament/ had'over- arid ;over, again endorsed tliis policy and'the. results had been-,-eminentljj. satisfactory ;'from,;.the . settlers' poLjit. of ;- i and; even.'from; the. point), of'view of, the '.Crovjn, making;something out qf.'thb.transactioh'.as. there -was. undoubtedly -, a. balance'to ; the, good' in (the rentals derived ;from ; the :lands . ac- : i quired for settlement.; . i.'iMr.'Bnddo was next asked for an. opinion on the proposal to tax on/the income or annual' value instead ot. on unimproved .value ..of : the>land:-: He,-;th'oug-ht 'either of these- proposals would be. unequal: mj : its incidence. To,tax the farmer on his income would bo a 1 most speculative.way of .assist-, ing tho .'rdvenu?.'; A farnier's ,' -income -vidr; two,' or three; years wa!s very frequently "{a; long way; ibeyond 'what ' the; • capital-- invested womdVwar'raint,, while .'during ''tne' recent, two. years of drought jn-itho":,South/Island, many farmerß jvero .working' at a -very -great, ,'oss. Again, the incidence would: be equally bad f. placed oil'the annual value 1 of.dand, becauso suoh valuo would be based on the letting value/: of tho land in the) ■ neighbourhood of ; tho property. A good • small farm ;in a' tlosefy-settled district.v«ry"' - . frequently brought 25 per cent! more than it was worth, and cases wero frequent-, in wliich, - ; owing to tKe' 'position; of .-'the;- farm,:; settlers content- : to work for 'a -baro existence.' One ooul-d imagine;, tho valuation; ot. a' ; wholo; 'listrict being based on. such a system; . .It would probably result' in;a/siplr'farm being,.vastly' overvalued, and a large " farm in a somewhat more remote position getting ; off'. on easy terms.':/ They ;had; yet ito , something' bUteri than the present system'. ' He wanted', to' emphasise'the fact that every local body that had approached him 'since Sir' Joseph Ward' delivered' 'his : .speech 'on; the 'question , of supplying local bodies: with Tolls emphatically . endorsed -the present system, ' and /.it. was .'decidedly Vencouraging ,to -.know \tbafc • iri* only' three districts had there , -been- anyserions'diiference .of opinion between,valuers, and- settlers-requiring .the.'casoAto.'be taken; to the iVsscsament■ Court.:,• - A depuiation 'represehting'thoiCity.-Couiwir waitiod' oh 'Mr, vßuddo: to-day, '. and,; brought under his :n6tice''thoir;'inability.':to. i effect;-'he: removal of 'insanitary 'or - unsafe .premises.. A AumboT of eases nad been tested in. tne Court, and the' council had lost them all, and had had 'to' pay costs. Mr.: Buddo: said it was. proper: .that' the owner of condemned ■ buildings, suoiild hove, s .right of app6iil.\ the general qufertkin. of:, .condemnation of : buildings for; the purposes of,, sanitation there could bo no .difference of opinion;, and; he would bring- thb; request .notice; of the. Att-ornoy-Genoral.;'- It was evidently, •the desire of the. : "deputation- that the ownera - appeal should be' decided -before tho council p?sceeded' , t(4-act/ TOat would involve a technical alteration, of' the law ,wiioh,. .if proposed;: would require :-greatconsideration., The' deputation alsp.'.brwght •W:;Wie - ; qnes-: tion of a clearing-house, where carcasses of pigs could be inspected .'before; going .into consumption- ; Thf ,Min>ster:,.said; .mttout promising <; an. araendnsenfc •of tlilo Acv no would see 'that', tho Health Department did thb best it could ,in the matter.